Suffering Never Lasts
by Alistor
Summary: One shot with pain, anger, a repentant kyuubi and hope. Most of all, hope.


**Sufering Never Lasts**

**Alistor**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.**

The boy ran. He had done nothing, but he ran. He ran because today, of all the days in the year, was the worst day. It was his birthday. His name was Naruto Uzumaki, and he didn't know why, but the angry and grumpy villagers became violent and murderous, and all their rage was directed at him. Tears welling up in his eyes, he turned a corner, only to realize that he'd come to a dead end. Behind him, the shadows grew as an angry mob began to beat him. They hit him with anything they could get their hands on. Bricks, trashcans, garden tools, anything they happened to be holding when the mob ran by.

The boy lay there, taking the hits, not letting himself cry. He had vowed to never cry in front of those mobs. He wouldn't give them that satisfaction. Instead he gritted his teeth and let himself slip into his Dark Place.

The boy opened his eyes. He was in a dimly lit hallway. It seemed to stretch on forever in either direction, save for a single branch hallway just ahead of him. He began walking, trying to remember when he had first found it. After walking for what seemed like miles, he came into a large room. At the far side was a cage like door, with a large paper seal over the lock. The boy grinned. He could hear snoring.

"HEY! Kyuubi-chan,. Are you awake!? It's me, Naruto!"

A large figure behind the bars grinned at him. **"Kit, I didn't think you were gonna comeback, it's been nearly a year... oh. It's today isn't it?"** Kyuubi sighed. "**Kit listen, I know I say this every year, but I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen."**

Naruto smiled sadly. "I know. I realized that the first time we met, and you were crying in the corner. I asked you what was wrong, and you told me that the pain I was feeling was your fault. I never blamed you though. The fourth was a good guy, and he did what he had to, to save this village."

The fox spoke up.** "I remember his last words. He said, 'May the village know this child as the Hero of Konoha. He is the Vessel that contains the Kyuubi. Show him honor and respect.'" **Kyuubi spat in disgust.** "He must be rolling over in his grave on a daily basis." **

Naruto left the Kyuubi for just a moment, long enough to know he was still being beaten, though the crowds had diminished by a lot. He slipped back to the Dark Place. "Kyuubi-chan, could I stay here till I'm OK again? With you, in this room, I don't feel the pain."

"**Of course, kit. Of course."**

**==Konoha General Hospital==**

Naruto woke up in a strange room. He looked around and saw nothing but white. At first he was scared, worried that he had gone to heaven without knowing who to look for,. Then he heard snoring, and the sounds of machines beeping in the distance. He looked around and finally noticed a young girl sitting at the side of his bed, her chin resting on folded arms Her dark brown hair done up in a ponytail.

"Hey, wake up," he called to softly, touching her shoulder. The little girl looked up, worried.

"Oh my god, you're alive!" she said, as she broke down sobbing. Naruto was confused. He had never met this girl, and yet she openly felt for him, and shed tears for his pain. "Did you bring me here?" The girl simply nodded her head. Naruto felt tears well up in his eyes. "Thank you, um... what's your name?" The girl's nose scrunched up, confused. Then it hit her, She had never introduced her self.

"My name is Tenten. I'm eight years old. I don't have a family name, cause I don't have a family." Naruto looked at her. She didn't have a family? She was like him. An orphan.

"Thank you Tenten. Thank you for saving me. My name is..." he started, before his mind froze. If he told her his name, she might get scared and run, like all the others. What should he do?

"**Tell her, kit. I can feel loyalty in her nature," **the fox piped in.

Naruto nodded. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I'm an orphan too. My parents named me before they were killed in the Kyuubi attack."

The girl looked stunned. "I thought that you were s'posed to be some kind of evil monster. Not some poor orphan kid like me. Do you remember who did this to you?"

Naruto shook his head. "Only one thing sticks out. The man who started the mob was wearing a white mask that looked kinda like the puppy that my friend Kiba has. His sometimes gave me food, but not so much anymore. It's hard to get to that side of town without starting a mob."

Tenten gasped. "An ANBU started this?! I'm telling the Hokage!" she screamed as she got up off the chair. Naruto jumped up out of bed, and quickly threw on his ragged clothes.

"Wait up Tenten-chan, let me come with you." Tenten spun around as he was pulling his shirt on. She noticed that the wounds were already sealing up, not just healing. It was amazing, what the Kyuubi did for that boy.

"There's no way! You're not s'posed to be out of bed! I mean you have so many broken bones and stab wounds. How are you able to move?"

Naruto looked down. "Tenten, I'm gonna tell you my super secret secret, OK. You can't tell anyone I told you this. If you hate me, I won't be angry. When the monster attacked here, the Kyuubi wasn't destroyed. It was way too strong. Instead, the Fourth Hokage put the demon inside me with a special marking. But the Kyuubi isn't a bad thing. I talk to her, and she told me that a man with spinning red eyes did something to it's mind. The Kyuubi is why I get better so fast, and why I never get sick. But everyone see's me as the reason that the fourth died." Naruto felt tears, and was waiting for the punch or kick he knew had to be coming. It never came and the boy looked up, confused."Aren't ya gonna scream and hit me? Everyone else does." Tenten smiled at the blond boy. She noticed the whisker marks on his face.

"How old are you, Naruto-kun?" He had to think for a minute. His head still hurt a lot from the beating he had suffered..

"Well, I guess I'm five now."

Tenten smiled. "Do you want to be my onii-chan? "The smile spreading across Naruto's face was as clear as any yes would have been. "Well, let's go see the Hokage."

**==Hokage's Tower==**

Sarutobi Hiruzan sat at his desk, wondering why the mountain of paperwork never ended. The Third looked up as his office door creaked open. The guard outside leaned in. "Sir, we might need ANBU here. There's a couple of scrawny street kids here asking for an audience." Sarutobi sighed. The homeless population in Konoha was quite low, but the majority of it was children, orphaned by the Kyuubi attack.

"ANBU is not necessary, Genma. Send them in to me."

Outside the Hokage's office, the guard, Genma, looked at the two kids. "Sorry, I made you wait. I had to make sure it was OK for you to go in. Go ahead." Tenten and Naruto smiled thanks and strolled inside. Sarutobi was shocked by what he saw.

_'Naruto? What are you doing here?' _The young girl with the brown hair stormed up to his desk.

"Hokage-sama, I was walking back to the orphanage three days ago, and I found him lying in a puddle of his own blood next to a streetlight. His arms and legs had been broken, and his skull fractured. I carried him as far as I could, But I didn't have it in me to get him to the hospital. Then an ANBU wearing a Cat mask helped me. The hospital tried to refuse, but Cat made them change their minds. The only reason he isn't dead is because of the Kyuubi inside him." The girl screamed, finally stopping to take a breath. The Hokage was stunned, unable to form a coherent sentence for a moment or two. She knew about the Kyuubi.

"What is your name, little girl?"

"Tenten. I have no family name,'cause I had no family, till now." She said proudly, looking at Naruto. "Now I have Onii-chan."

Sarutobi did his best to look stern but it proved to be a rather difficult feat. "Tenten, how do you know about the Kyuubi? That is a secret that only the highest ranking ninja of this village know about."

Ten ten smiled. "My onii-chan trusts me. He told me." The Third blinked, surprised, then turned to the blonde boy.

"Naruto, who told you about the Kyuubi being inside you? I need to know so I can handle them. They broke the law."

Naruto was wary. "Ya mean like put 'em in jail?" Sarutobi nodded, and Naruto and Tenten broke into a fit of giggles. "Good luck with that, Ojii-san. She's already locked up. Kyuubi-chan told me."

The Third Hokage was left speechless for the second time that day. _'Kyuubi-chan told me.'_ That's what the boy had said. How was it possible? Sarutobi looked Naruto. "Are you two hungry?" Both kids looked at the Hokage as if he were their best friend, nodding their heads vigorously. "Either of you ever had ramen?"

**==Ichiraku's Ramen Bar==**

Teuchi looked up in surprise. There at his humble ramen stand was the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzan. Next to him were two scrawny kids wearing rags. He guessed they had been alone for a long while, based on their ever-vigilant looks to their surroundings.

"Hokage-sama, welcome to my humble stand. I am Teuchi. Who, might I ask, are these two youngsters?"

Sarutobi smiled. "This is Tenten, and her onii-chan, Naruto. They've never had ramen before, and I remember this place from when your Otou-san opened it 15 years ago. How is he by the way?"

Teuchi smiled. "He's enjoying his retirement on the Southern Islands. So, what'll it be?"

The Third smiled. "Three Miso, if you please." Teuchi gave him a thumbs up sign, and got to work. Sarutobi turned back to Naruto, his head finally clear. "Naruto are you saying that you have a relationship with that creature inside of you? That you've spoken to it?"

"Naruto was chewing on a piece of bread from a basket, and nodded. He quickly swallowed his mouthful and began to tell a story of how he had been dragged kicking out of his bed at the orphanage when he had turned three. The matron was charging money to get a swing at the monster. Naruto's eyes began to fill with tears, and Tenten wrapped him in a hug. It seemed to give him a bit of strength.

"That night was my third birthday. Everyone in the village was there it seemed, waiting to hit me just because. I wanted to cry so bad, but I didn't. I told my self I would never let them see me cry, that I would never give them that part of me.

"One of the people hit me over and over again with a really big rock. After about 20 or so hits, my arms were broken, and my ribcage on one side shattered. The matron stopped it there. She didn't want to release the demon to finish the job. She left me laying there in the bathroom, in a pool of my own blood. I had all kinds of sharp things sticking out of my back. I thought I was gonna die.

"Then strange voice seemed to come out of nowhere. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep, but it really wasn't sleep either. I call this my dark place, because the first time I went there, I didn't know how to turn on the lights. I tried to find a wall and just walked. It was a long walk, but I didn't feel any pain. I thought that maybe I had finally died, and that my bad dreams were over. But then I heard crying. I started calling out, and a lady's voice said to ask for a light. I did and the room lit up like an afternoon sky. There was a large cage, and a really big fox was there, with fluffy tails. It's face was buried in a corner.

"I asked the fox, which is one of my favorite animals, what was wrong. She then told me that she was sorry. I asked her why, and she said for all the pain she had caused me. She told me what happened that night, and she told me the Fourth's last words. She also told me that a man with spinning red eyes put a g... ge... gen... Well, he tricked her and made her attack the village." Sarutobi nodded. This information he had just heard was only known by two other people in the world, himself, and the Fourth. It was never written down, so as to keep the records of what happened a secret. Naruto kept going.

Teuchi returned, visibly shaken after hearing what the boy had gone through. He placed the Hokage's order on the table, frowning. "I never knew his life was that tough. I wish I had known. I would have taken him in in a moment. Now, I just don't have the resources I used to." Teuchi looked down at his hands mentally berating himself for not helping the boy. Naruto broke him from his reverie with a loud slurp.

"THIS IS AWESOME!!" he shouted, pumping his fist in the air. Tenten nodded her head vigorously, loving every bit of the wonderful dish. Teuchi smiled, and wiped a tear from his eye. The poor kids were just so happy to have a good meal.

The three customers ate their ramen in silence, savoring a favorite taste, or a new taste never before savored. Naruto was the first to finish. He handed the bowl back to Teuchi, whispering a barely audible arigato. It seemed he was still wary around others.

Naruto began to speak again,picking up where he had left off. "Kyuubi-chan looked so sad there, like she had a really bad tummy ache that wouldn't go away. I remember what that felt like after I ate some veggies from the dumpster behind the market. I didn't know they had been poisoned. My tummy hurt for weeks afterward. The nurse at the hospital said it was cyan-something. Anyways, I couldn't stay mad at Kyuubi-chan, so I sat in that cage with her for a long time.

"I left the orphanage the next day, after my ouchies were gone. It still hurt to breathe, so I couldn't run, but it got better later. I ended up walking through a park, and saw a boy playing with a puppy. He looked at me, and said something really funny. He said I smelled like a fox, or some kind of dog. He asked me if I wanted to play, and I said yes. We threw a ball, and chased his puppy, who was called Akamaru. We played tag, and he showed me how his clan had these really cool noses that could smell all kinds of stuff. That was my first friend, Kiba. When it started gettig dark, a lady that looked like Kiba came to get him. He asked if I could come over for dinner, but the lady said not tonight. I guess that was his mom. Anyways, me and Kiba played in the park every chance we got. One night I found some mea in a trash can. I ate it and I got sick in the park. I remember throwing up, but nothing after that. I think I might have fallen asleep, but when I woke up, my friend Kiba had me at his house. His okaa-san was very nice, she gave me food that was cooked and just for me. I had never had a real meal before." He looked down, tears rolling down his cheeks. "But now I'm OK, cause I found Onee-chan"

Sarutobi looked at the small boy in shock. He had survived cyanide poisoning, multiple beatings, repeated breakages of his bones, food poisoning, and he still tried to be happy. It seems the fox had done everything in it's power to atone to the boy.

"Naruto, do you like being around Tenten?" The boy nodded his head.

"She's my friend and she was there taking care of me when the hospital people were with the other sick people. She asked me to be her onii-chan. She's my family now."

Sarutobi nodded, then turned to the brown haired girl."Tenten, how do you feel about Naruto?"

Tenten gave Naruto a hug. "He's great. I'm just worried that this will happen again. That's part of why we came to you in the first place. He remembers one of his attackers." Naruto nodded, his eyes becoming fearful as he recalled the image burned into his mind.

"The only thing I can really remember is the first guy to hit me. He was wearing a mask that looked like my friend Kiba's dog. What are they called... um... OH! ANBU! He was wearing an ANBU mask that looked like a dog!"

Sarutobi stiffened. ANBU Officers were each given a unique animal codename that matched the porcelain masks they wore. The Hokage clapped his hands and two ANBU operatives appeared. "Bring me Dog. Take him to my office, in full restraints." The two operatives vanished in a puff of smoke.

**== Hokage's Office==**

The ANBU member known only as Dog stood in full restraints in front of the Hokage's desk. He was getting nervous. It was his first month in ANBU, and he was still getting used to the Unit. _'Maybe this is a joke,'_ he thought to himself. _'A hazing.'_ He was pulled from his reverie when the Hokage appeared behind his desk in a swirl of leaves. He looked at the man called Dog.

"Remove his mask. I want to see his eyes as I question him." The ANBU Cat viciously yanked the mask of the operatives face.

"I cannot believe we let you wear this mask. You are no longer a part of ANBU. Whatever else happens is not out concern," she hissed. The bound man turned to Sarutobi, and his mind filled with rage. There, sitting on the Hokage's lap, was the demon child, that scrawny, blonde, freak of nature.

"What is that little bastard monster doing here! How is he still alive after that beating?"

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow at this. "So you admit to being involved with the beating of this child?"

Dog stuttered. "N-n-n-no, Hokage-sama, I was the ANBU operative that took him away from the fighting and to the hospital!" He smiled, smug that he would once again get away with hurting the little monster.

A small voice called out from behind the Hokage. "Liar. I carried him as far as I could, and then Cat, who happens to be standing behind you, carried him the rest of the way, 'cause I wasn't strong 'nough."

Dog paled, his mind working frantically. "He's the Kyuubi, a monster that killed our comrades! I was doing it for them. I was doing it for the people of Konoha." Naruto turned to the fallen ANBU.

"I'm not the monster. I'm not the man who stabbed a little kid in the tummy with a sword meant to protect people. I'm not the man who paid to beat a three year old to the edge of death with a rock. I'm not the market manager that caught a child looking for food, then purposely poisoned the veggies the next day. Those, those are monsters. I'm just Naruto. I don't have much, but I have Hokage-jii-san, and Tenten-nee-chan. I have my friend Kiba, when I can see him. I have people that love me and want me to be OK. I'm not a monster. You are." Naruto turned to the Hokage, and gave him a hug, then hopped down from his lap to play with his Onee-chan. Sarutobi turned to the children and asked them to go into his personal chambers. They did as they were asked. He then turned his focus on the fallen ANBU.

"Masahiro Higa, I sentence you to Death for the Premeditated Attempt on a Child Life. You have disgraced this village, and your family. The execution will be public held in two days, unless either of the witnesses for ANBU have objections." In unison, the ANBU Operatives answered.

"No. We have no objections." Sarutobi nodded.

"Toss him in with the worst scum you can find and mention what he did when you imprison him." Masahiro's cries for mercy lasted all of 3 seconds before Cat knocked him out with a look of disgust.

Several months had gone by. The execution of a member of ANBU for attempting to kill a child was the biggest news anyone had heard in a while.

The Third Hokage had officially withdrawn Tenten and Naruto from the orphanage, stating he had taken a personal interest in them. Then he fired the head of said orphanage, and replaced her with an old monk. Since that moment, there had never been children there for more than a few months at a time. There were other small changes, and one rather large one. His personal rooms off the Hokage's office had become Tenten and Naruto's unofficial home, since they didn't want to leave their jii-san. His job kept at the office till all hours of the night, so it was good for them to be there when he went home, and when he arrived for work.

Sarutobi woke up the next morning and laughed, then sighed. He laughed because his bedroom had become a temporary retreat for the two young ones he had taken in. He sighed because today that would all end. All the shopping trips, to help them get new clothes, to the supply runs to get them ready for the academy, to the constant need to go to the library. After Sarutobi had shown him how to read, Naruto became a sponge. He loved to read, over all, but his favorites were the story about the Legendary Yellow Flash of Konoha, and the story about the Legendary Sanin. After today, he could go back to his normal existence.

He had written up a series of documents during the last few weeks that made for a few surprising precedents. One was an adoption agreement, but not in the usual sense. There were two copies. One for Naruto, and another for Tenten. By signing these forms, they would officially be brother and sister, under the Uzumaki name, as the older child's surname was unknown. The second was a dual emancipation form. It basically made the two children an autonomous family unit without needing adult supervision. He had found an apartment for them, something small that they could easily take care of themselves. Sarutobi had already arranged for the first year's rent to be paid, along with basic furniture, utilities, and appliances. He also arranged for them to enter the ninja academy the same year, so they would have some one to help them. He just hoped he was making the right decision.

Naruto opened his eyes, and saw his nee-chan sleeping on a futon next to his. He smiled. He'd gotten used to waking up with her near. It made him feel less alone. He was sure she felt that way too. He sat up and stretched, his back no longer sore and kinked from sleeping under benches and trees. A soft knocking at the door caught his attention. "Come in."

Sarutobi strolled into his personal apartments, a tray laden with food in his hands. "Children, I hope you're hungry. I've brought a large variety of foods, so I suggest you try a little of each." Tenten sat up, the smell of eggs and bacon waking her from an equally pleasant dream involving rabbits and flowers.

The Hokage cleared his throat. "Children, I have some news for you. I finished writing up the paperwork to make you each others family. I also found and rented an apartment for you. It will be all yours, so it's up to you to take care of it. This is your big break, young ones, your chance to leave the life of hardship and pain behind." Tenten and Naruto stood up and walked over to the Hokage, their beloved jii-san. They threw their arms around the old man, squeezing him tightly. Naruto found his voice first. "Jii-san, thanks for everything. The last few months have been great. Make sure you come over for dinner one of these days, OK? I'll learn to cook, it looks fun." Tenten just smiled, a new smile that recently emerged, one quite similar to her onii-chan's.

"We won't let you down, Jii-san. We promise."

Sarutobi smiled, knowing that the two would be just fine. "Well, once you get dressed, I'll escort you to your new home." The two quickly stuffed their faces and got ready to start a new life

**==East-side of Konoha==**

Mayuri looked down at her watch. She was running late, and the client was an important one. So important that the Hokage himself had handled the negotiations and closing on this particular deal. Whoever it was, they must have been quite close to the Hokage's heart, for him to pay a full years rent in advance, out of his own pocket.

Mayuri was pacing outside the apartment complex, when the Hokage finally arrived. With him were two adorable kids, holding hands. The boy had striking blonde hair done up in spikes, and girl had her long brown hair up in buns, with part of it hanging down like pigtails. Mayuri began to wonder where the clients were. She started waving, and all three waved back.

"Greetings Hokage-sama. I hope today finds you in good health. Not to be rude, but I have another showing across town in about 45 minutes. How long till the client arrives?"

Sarutobi smiled. This would blow her mind. "These are the clients. I'd like to introduce Naruto and Tenten Uzumaki. They will be living in this property, not me, nor a foreign dignitary. I hope your heart wasn't set on meeting anyone famous?"

Mayuri struggled for a second, then looked the kids. Same last name, holding hands, completely different looks. "Are these kids married? Wow, they start younger and younger every day." Naruto and Tenten were mortified.

Tenten stepped up to the lady. "Gross! I'm Tenten Uzumaki. I wasn't always an Uzumaki, but I am now, since I have my onii-chan. I took his name, since I don't have my own family name. We're both orphans, and this was our chance to get off the streets. Now give me my house keys. You wouldn't want to be late."

Dumbstruck, Mayuri handed them the keys, and the two children stepped inside. Sarutobi was sure he heard mumblings of 'pervy realtor' and 'ewww'. He smiled, then pulled her aside and explained how this had happened. She giggled. Most guys would try to escape an older sister, but the boy was grateful, and happy to even have a family of his own. The hokage waved as she left for her other appointment, then went inside.

Inside, Naruto and Tenten were amazed. The 2-story apartment was on the high-end East-side of Konoha, where many of the nicer shops and establihments were. It was also quite close to the Academy, where they would be starting next month. Another good point was Ichiraku's was around the corner. They began to wander, looking at everything, not quite sure it was really theirs. They found a large living room, a kitchen, and a dining room on the first floor, along with a small bathroom tucked away under the stairs.

Upstairs they found quite a surprise. To the left of the stairs was a large set of double doors that led to a balcony. A massive balcony. To the right was a long hallway. There were three bedrooms up here, along with a master door said Naruto's Room, in big, wooden, orange and blue letters. Across the hall was one that said Tenten's Room, in red and white letters. They decided to explore Naruto's room first. It was quite simple. A bed, a dresser, and a night stand. There was a note on the bed. Seeing this was a private matter, Tenten went to her room to check it out. As soon as the door was closed, Naruto read the note.

_Naruto, _

_In this envelope, you will find a small amount of money. It is yours to do with as you please. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart for the way Konoha has mistreated you. I understand that this paltry amount is no recompense, but I've notified the shops in this area that you and your sister would becoming by. Just mention that the Hokage is your Jii-san and you will be given a fair deal._

_Sarutobi-jii-san_

Naruto opened the second envelope, and started to cry. He held in his hands 15,000 ryo. It was more than anything he had ever held in his life.

As Naruto stared at the money he held, a scream floated across the hallway. Naruto opened his door to find Tenten standing there, holding a handful of looked at each other and began to laugh. The quickly dried their tears, and moved to the end of the hall to explore the lastroom in the house. They were shocked.. It was a dojo, of sorts. There were several training dummies, and quite a stock of weapons. Along the one wall were several cabinets, filled with various scrolls. There were weapons forms, jutsus, and scrolls about the histories of the five great was a note here for them as well.

_Tenten & Naruto,_

_This is my gift to you, as a sort of housewarming. This room is stocked with many of the weapons we Leaf Shinobi use. These weapons may not always be sharp or deadly, but a mind filled with knowledge is deadlier than the sharpest kunai. It is my sincerest wish that you become some of the greatest Leaf Shinobi we have seen. You have the potential, you just need to learn to unlock it._

_With all my love,_

_Sarutobi-jii-san_

Naruto tucked the note into his pocket. Tenten, on the other hand was admiring the many different weapons along the shelves. There were Kunai, Exploding tags, Shuriken, Charkra knives, Senbon, the list was endless. She turned to Naruto, grinning. "I can't wait to start at the academy, onii-san. I'm gonna be a weapons specialist. I wanna learn to use every weapon here. That way, I'll always be able to protect you," she said, while pumping her fist. Naruto laughed.

"You'll be a great weapons master. People will come from all over to learn from my onee-chan."

Tenten smiled. "What do you want to do.?" Naruto's eye began to gleam.

"I'm gonna be the greatest Hokage ever. That, or I wanna open a ramen stand." They walked back down the stairs, taking them two at a time, and almost bowled over the Hokage.

"Gomen, jii-san," they burst out, but he just waved them off. They were excited, it was ok.

"Hokage-jii-san, thanks for everything. We'll be able to forget the past now, won't we, Naruto?"

He looked his onee-san then at Hokage-jii-san.

"Yes, well, I''ve been over it since I found my family. You guys hungry for ramen?" The two other people nodded yes. Sarutobi thought that they could keep Ichiraku's in business just between the two of them..

As they walked out the front door, Tenten reached into her pocket and handed one of the house keys to Naruto. He took it, looked at it like it was the most beautiful thing ever, and then locked his front door. He liked the way that sounded. His front door. He burst out laughing, then started sprinting , tenten screeching after him that that wasn't fair. Sarutobi, not wanting to mess up his robes by running, simply used the Shunshin no Jutsu, to appear infront of, and sit down at, Ichiraku's to wait. He smiled to himself, as he heard the sounds of children playing coming towards the stand. _'Truly the Yondaime was right. Suffering never lasts.' _


End file.
